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POLITICO 44

The numbers that were released were adjustments to the official 2010 poverty figures of 46.2 million, or 15.1 percent of Americans, that were released in September. The supplemental figure is higher than the official figure because it considers higher costs of living on expenses that aren’t factored into the official rate.

Hispanic poverty rose to 28.2 percent, affecting 14.1 million, surpassing that of blacks for the first time. Still, 9.9 million African-Americans suffered from poverty, a rate of 25.4 percent. The Asian poverty rate was 16.7 percent, affecting 2.4 million people.

Meanwhile, non-Hispanic whites had a lower poverty rate of 11.1 percent, or 21.9 million people.

The widest gulf in poverty rates was between those who had private health insurance versus those who did not. Those who had private health insurance had a poverty rate of just 7.5 percent. While those who had public, but no private, insurance (31.7 percent) and those who were not insured at all (30.7 percent) had much higher poverty rates.

Readers' Comments (9)

Of course, Obama will not accept any responsibility for these numbers despite the fact he has been president for three years. Yet his black supporters will not abandon him. I guress this constituency prefers to remine poor, unmployed and have a black president than have a good economy. This group either is hoping Obama will come through with more goodies, or their support for Obama is more emotional than rational. With 74% of the people expressing the fact the country is on the wrong direction, I don't see why the nation collectively would give Obama another term - especially when it is predicted the economy will not improve by election day. This administration has been bad for all of us!!!

Well, Obama's proposal is to make it much easier for people to get health insurance, and to use taxes to take money from the rich and give it the poor. The Republican proposals are to massively lower taxes on the rich and increase taxes on the poor and middle class (have you noticed how they always talk about "broadening the base" after talking about how 50% of Americans don't pay income tax?).

His black supporters won't abandon him because he's failed to make their lives better (largely due to the Senate Republicans filibustering every attempt at creating jobs), while his opponents want to make their lives worse.

Between the corporations sending jobs overseas where they can pay workers pennies an hour and the unethical, immoral, and downright illegal activities of Wall St., the banks, and the unwillingness of the GOP to protect the most vulnerable of our society, it's no surprise that poverty is higher than originally thought. While Cain blames the poor for being poor, the GOP wants to cut safety nets that protect the neediest among us. While Perry calls Social Security (which keeps seniors fed, clothed, and sheltered) a Ponzi scheme, seniors are tightening their belts and doing with less and less as prices go up and up.

The moral test of a society can be taken by examining the manner in which they treat the most vulnerable, the least among us.

Will anyone recall the failed democratic party policies for the past 60 years and how they contributed to this poverty rates? Probably not.

Liberal ideas are a lot of things: dangerous, wasteful, unconstitutional, even socialist at times.

It isn't 99% vs. 1%. Its 47% vs. 53% (includes the 1%). Why should the 53% paying taxes, pay for free college for the 47% that don't pay any taxes?

Why are union members protesting corporations buying political influence and CEO pay when for example, the UAW donated $150 Million to Obama's election and union leadership get paid like CEOs? As a return on investment, the UAW got over $90 Billion in bailouts.

Why is it that every other organization has to get permits, bonds, clean up crews prepaid and the OWS does nothing but insist they have more rights?

Why is it that the Tea Party is called Terrorists by Biden and the OWS are patriots?

"The widest gulf in poverty rates was between those who had private health insurance versus those who did not. Those who had private health insurance had a poverty rate of just 7.5 percent. While those who had public, but no private, insurance (31.7 percent) and those who were not insured at all (30.7 percent) had much higher poverty rates."

Of course, Republicans, who are the healthcare profiteers, want to repeal the ACA that extends coverage, prevents many of the insurance company abuses of denying coverage for pre-existing conditions; denied claims; dropped or maxed-out coverage; adds one million young to their parents' insurance, etc.

Remember, healthcare costs DOUBLED under Bush-Cheney, that they changed the bankruptcy laws not to benefit consumers but banks and credit card companies (many bailed out). The Republicans claimed that consumers were abusing their credit with wild spending when, in fact, when the law was changed, the majority of bankruptcies were due to moverwhelming hospital and medical bills.

Those in poverty increased under the last three Republican presidents, Reagan, GHW Bush, GW Bush, who are also responsible for two-thirds of our National Debt or more than twice as much as all other presidents combined. Thanks to the Reagan-era to present "trickle-down economy" income growth for the top one percent went up 275%, while the shrinking middle class income went up 40% and the bottom 20% grew by just 18%.

In contract, there are 400 billionaires in America and the Fortune 500 CEOs' average annual salary went up to $10.6 million or 400 times the average worker (it was 40 times in the 1970s). Republicans have historically NEVER represented the working class and their real class warfare on the working class at the federal and state levels has never been greater. Notice how they cut programs for the poor and working class while making continuing tax breaks and subsidies for the rich and their rich corporate supporters their top priority.

Poverty???? There is NO POVERTY in this Country!!!!!! More beds than so-called homeless...of which MOST so-called homeless want to be homeless!!!!!! Also, if you are making $34,000 a year, you are in the TOP 1% of income earners world-wide!!!!!!!! Half the world's population makes less than $2 per day!!!!!! You may be under the elite poverty line of the U.S., but the vast majority in this country live like Kings and Queens compared to the rest of the world! Poverty my AZZ!!!!!

Between the corporations sending jobs overseas where they can pay workers pennies an hour and the unethical, immoral, and downright illegal activities of Wall St., the banks, and the unwillingness of the GOP to protect the most vulnerable of our society, it's no surprise that poverty is higher than originally thought. While Cain blames the poor for being poor, the GOP wants to cut safety nets that protect the neediest among us. While Perry calls Social Security (which keeps seniors fed, clothed, and sheltered) a Ponzi scheme, seniors are tightening their belts and doing with less and less as prices go up and up.

The moral test of a society can be taken by examining the manner in which they treat the most vulnerable, the least among us

And the hypocrisy as the GOP woos the Bible-beaters - Christ made it very clear how he felt about the poor - "as you do unto the least of mine, so you do unto me", and the rich and greedy in the GOP had better find a way to pass a camel thru the eye of a needle before they die.....